If you love sports, you understand what it
means for a young girl to be passionate about soccer. This December, the U13
Mavericks team will be traveling to West Africa to help launch the first ever
organized soccer team for 12 and 13 year old girls in Ghana. With their
Ghanaian coach, Robert Sackey, the Mavericks will bring strategic teamwork and
the commitment needed to reach the goal of their trip -- to empower girls to
have the same opportunities as the boys in their country to play soccer and be
recognized as developing athletes. We’re seeking contributions to support our
girls on this mission and to make resources available to their Ghanaian
counterparts.

During the two week trip, the
Mavericks will be staying in the coastal town of Takoradi, three hours north of
the capital city of Accra. While working with the Hasaacas Youth Academy to
help establish the girls’ team, they’ll also distribute soccer equipment and
supplies collected and purchased in the United States. Today, Ghanaian youth,
who typically have only one pair of shoes and are not permitted by their parents
to use them for soccer, take turns sharing donated cleats during games. And, a
soccer ball costs roughly the equivalent of one week of an adult’s wages.
Ghanaian youth will covet these gifts!

Every day, the Mavericks will
play soccer with local youth, and will experience as well other
aspects of life in Ghana. We’re excited about advancing opportunities for girls
in Ghana to participate on a soccer team, to experience the joy and commitment
of teamwork, and to begin envisioning themselves as athletes with potential and
goals. We believe it will be empowering too, for our daughters, who will share
the love of the game with girls leading such different lives. Experiencing the
world with respect for other cultures can dramatically affect the ways in which
our daughters navigate their lives in the future.

In soccer parlance, we’re asking
you to “make an assist” to the Mavericks so that they can score this challenging
goal. We are fundraising in order to support girls soccer in Ghana, supply
part of much needed equipment and ensure that all Mavericks teammates can make
the trip.